Today is the BD of MLK. I'm not so sure where I stand on this holiday. He was a noted enough individual, but how is he more worthy than other people who stood up for civil liberties? I'm not going into or asking for a history lesson on the 1960's civil rights movement. What I'm saying is that there were others just as devoted and worthy. Why not call this Liberty Day or the Day of Dreams? That way it would include all those peoples who have had to struggle for their rights; African Americans, Women, Native Americans, Gays & so on...
There are other federal holidays I have issues with as well. Washington's Birthday vs. President's Day. I opt for President's Day, It's more inclusive. I have no real problem with Memorial Day except for everyone says it's a day for Veterans and not all the other living-challenged people. I mean the Vets already have Veterans' Day.
Independence Day is fine, but maybe it should be know as the
SUPER - BIG - HAPPY - SPARKLY - GO - BOOM - BBQ - HAMBURGER - & - HOTDOG - DAY. Most of us probably think more about the picnics & fireworks, than the Revolutionary War or our independence. I have no problems with Labor Day, other than the fact it always screwed up my own birthday when I was in school. I'm pretty much fine with Thanksgiving & Veterans day, except for the whole Native American thing & the fact apparently Vet's already have a holiday called Memorial Day.
I'm aware I skipped Submuloc. As a person of Native American descent, no more how little, I find the fact we celebrate the beginning of the end of the aboriginal peoples of America to be is bad taste. As a history buff, I'm offended, like Columbus was the first to discover the new world. Name it Finders Day, Drunk Vikings Landed Here Day or hell even the Grand Reopening For All The Europeans Who Are Just Now Getting Here Day, but not Columbus Day.
I have a problem with Christmas as well. Not of a religious nature, not even of a commercial one in this instance. I have a problem with the Federal Calendar including Christmas as a holiday due to the fact it fails to represent other religious or seasonal celebrations during this time; Hanukkah, Ashura, Kwanzaa, Yule, Solstice, Saturnalia or whatever else I'm not thinking of at this moment. Why not think of it as the Winter Holiday, a time when many faiths and beliefs have special days and noting the solstice is here.
I'm still not sure what I think of MLK Day. I'm not sure it means anything more to most people than just another reason to take a holiday, not be able to go to the bank or get mail. Maybe for some this day has value & meaning. For those people I say, "Happy Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday."
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